Occupation Profile

Materials Engineers

(SOC Code : 17-2131)

in California

Evaluate materials and develop machinery and processes to manufacture materials for use in products that must meet specialized design and performance specifications. Develop new uses for known materials. Include those working with composite materials or specializing in one type of material, such as graphite, metal and metal alloys, ceramics and glass, plastics and polymers, and naturally occurring materials. Include metallurgists and metallurgical engineers, ceramic engineers, and welding engineers.

Employers are usually looking for candidates with a Bachelor's degree .

Occupational Wages

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Area	Year	Period	Hourly Mean	Hourly by Percentile
				25th	Median	75th
California	2012	1st Qtr	$48.61	$38.01	$47.39	$58.49

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Occupational Projections of Employment (also called "Outlook" or "Demand")

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Area	Estimated Year-Projected Year	Employment		Employment Change		Annual Avg Openings
		Estimated	Projected	Number	Percent
California	2010 - 2020	2,900	3,400	500	17.2	140

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Job Openings from JobCentral National Labor Exchange

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Enter a Zip Code Find a Zip code in California

Within miles of Zip Code.

Possible Licenses Required and Issuing Authority

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License Title

License Authority

Metallurgical Engineer

Department of Consumer Affairs
Board for Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, and Geologists
www.pels.ca.gov

About Licenses

Industries Employing This Occupation (click on Industry Title to View Employers List)

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Industry Title

Number of Employers in State of California

Percent of Total
Employment for Occupation in State of California

Electronic Instrument Manufacturing

1,043

21.8%

Semiconductor and Electronic Components

1,759

20.9%

Aerospace Product & Parts Manufacturing

281

17.9%

Communications Equipment Manufacturing

464

4.7%

Architectural and Engineering Services

23,211

4.4%

About Staffing Patterns

Training Programs (click on title for more information)

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Program Title

Ceramic Sciences and Engineering

Materials Engineering

Metallurgical Engineering

Polymer/Plastics Engineering

Textile Sciences and Engineering

About Training & Apprenticeships

About This Occupation (from O*NET - The Occupation Information Network)

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Top Tasks (Specific duties and responsibilities of this job.)

Analyze product failure data and laboratory test results to determine causes of problems and develop solutions.

Monitor material performance and evaluate material deterioration.

Design and direct the testing or control of processing procedures.

Supervise the work of technologists, technicians, and other engineers and scientists.

Evaluate technical specifications and economic factors relating to process or product design objectives.

Conduct or supervise tests on raw materials or finished products to ensure their quality.

Perform managerial functions, such as preparing proposals and budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.

Solve problems in a number of engineering fields, such as mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, nuclear, and aerospace.

Plan and evaluate new projects, consulting with other engineers and corporate executives as necessary.

Review new product plans and make recommendations for material selection based on design objectives, such as strength, weight, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost.

More Tasks for Materials Engineers

Top Skills used in this Job

Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Operations Analysis - Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.

Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

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Top Abilities (Attributes of the person that influence performance in this job.)

Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

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Top Work Values (Aspects of this job that create satisfaction.)

Support - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees.

Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions.

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Top Interests (The types of activities someone in this job would like.)

Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

More Interests for Materials Engineers